Deep Down In My Heart
by Riku Ukita
Summary: THIS IS LIKE DREAM HIGH 3!Yoki hates Kirin.Ryuu goes to Kirin and is Yokis friend.With Kirin in the dumps, the only one who can save it is Yoki and her way of teaching others, but how to get her to save Kirin the school she hates is a problem.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Kirin Art School

"The most advance and major art school in all of Korea, Kirin Art School. It was made for any type of singing, dancing, and a little acting. The end results, the toughest school to make and the best thing that will ever happen to you if you make it in. Dead serious with no doubts...

Okay, so there is major doubts in my mind, but that's because to me that school can be the last thing on Earth with me and I still wouldn't like that school. To me, that school was a place where they lie to you that you are good. They give you a chance. They are nothing but mere poop in my eyes.

Why do I think that, you might ask? Easy, that school has not only promoted incredibly stars but also failed many kids who _drops out_ from the college prep class. That has got to mean something to the world. If these teachers fail, then these kids will have no hopes and dreams and fail college!

Now do you get my drift? No? Oh well, it's you who is making the wrong desision. When I am right, I am not going to feel any pity towards you what-so-ever and I'm not going to even let you come near me. You will be dead to me."

"Yeah right, Yoki." Ryuu, a friend, smirk which angered me even more than it should. "You can't convince me to not go to Kirin Art School. That's my goal and you don't have to stay by my side."

"Yah!" I slammed the damn textbook on the ground and he sat up a bit straighter than he usually did. "Do you want to become dumb? That's gonna happen if you go to that liar of a school!"

"Whoa, calm down there." He acted innocent and shook his hands sideways. "Don't get all upset that you are losing your best pupil to the school you despise so much!"

"Calm down! _Calm down!_ Are you seriously telling me to calm down? Do you have a death wish?" I exploded with a major attitude that not a lot of people see. "Y-You are telling m-me to calm down and do what?"

I could see him going paler than usual but I didn't care. He brought this upon himself. "Y-Y-Yoki, you k-know you are the b-b-best t-t-t-t-teacher I ever had a-a-and ever will g-g-get."

"Yah, don't you dare try your damn sweet talk on me this time! I've had enough, get the hell out or die in a hole and never come back!" I shouted in his face, not caring that my spit landed square on his beautiful face. "I don't want to even talk to you, much less even see you, Ryuu!"

I watch his face turn from scared to lonely, but I was to upset to care, after all, he was making me into the bad guy. I turned around and headed down to the clubhouse or my home. He watched me until he couldn't see me anymore as I disappeared down the stairs.

To me, he wasn't just my pupil nor a enemy who left to the evil school, but the star I wanted to grow and the baby bird I wanted to fly.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I Want You To Fly, Dammit!

I sighed and wearily looked up at the door. I felt sick to my stomach and I just wanted to crawl back into my bed and forget the whole damn idea. Of course that would be rude to Ryuu and make him even less incouraged. Why am I so freakin nice to stupid Ryuu?

I stared at the colorful flyer. The big words wanted me to puke my guts out and throw it at the person who made the flyer: Kirin Art School. It was something about the school having a old graduate come in and judge the kids who want in and will tell them directly if they made it in or not. To me it was just a lot of blah.

"Hey, you. You going in or not?" I jumped and quickly turned around to the young guy who spoke English.

"Uh, can you speak Korean or Japanese?" I stared at him curiously but not really interested; I just wanted to know what he was saying.

"Oh, yeah, sorry." He spoke Korean. "I asked if you are going in or not?"

"Oh, yeah I am. I will be o-" I stopped midsentence as the man reached over me and grabbed the handle to open it for me. "Oh no, you don't have to do that!"

"You're a soon-to-be fellow classmate. Or at least, you better be or I charge money." He joked. "Good luck."

I walked through the doors since he wasn't going in until I went in before him. The place was filled with life and going crazy with singing and dancing with announcements on who is next and so on. So many people wanted to enter Kirin. Except me.

I tried to push my way to one of the few flat-screens but was stopped by a teacher. "Miss, you can't go any further unless you have signed up for the audition."

"Oh, is that so?" I acted like I hadn't known that. "Um, where is the sign-up fourm?"

"I'll sign you up personally, okay?" Shoots, wasn't going to get out of this one either.

"Sure, it will be so much easier for me and quicker too. I have an appointment soon and I was hoping that I could audition and get there on time. Worse case senerio is that I miss the audition." I lied.

"Name, age, birth, and ID, please." She grabbed a entry number and a fourm off a crowded desk.

"Huh?" I didn't expect her to also write it down. "Oh, Yuuya Hotori. My birthday is December 8th and I am 16 years old." I handed her my ID after searching my pockets. She wrote it all down and studied the ID. After a while she finished and gave me the number 5558.

I entered (pushed) through the area and moved to the flat-screen. Before I can look up at the screen, I bumped into him. I mean Ryuu. Luckily he doesn't recognize me because of my random clothes of a girls which is rare for me to wear.

"Sorry." I mumble softly so he couldn't hear and of course he went right back to whatever he was doing.

I looked at my clothes and really wondered if it was really unatural for me to wear. The pink dress matched my skin tone and the yellow sandals wasn't that bad, so was it the hair extensions I borrowed? I don't think I looked any different.

"Number 5558, please go to the audition room!" Loud speakers were set up and calling for... Me!

I dashed for the girls bathroom as fast as I could and decided that I had to do something totally different from my original plans. I changed into my striped hoodie and jean shorts that hung down to my knees. I was happy I brought a change of clothes. I just had to deal with the sandals though.

Without thinking, I heard the speakers shouting for me again and I rushed to the door. I paused real quick and took a big breath. "You want to go to this school? Then let's see if I agree to it. If not then at least I can cheer you on this way."

I plucked a white hat with dolphins on it and entered the room.

The judges, just like on the big screens, sat side by side on a long table. No difference or anything but I could feel more pressure from them. I knew who I was doing this for but I couldn't feel that presure and could see Ryuu would've puked right here. I walked up calmly to the microphone.

"Don't expect much." I started which shocked some of the judges. "I ain't here to really audition. I only came to cheer on my friend."

"Alright, but you aren't able to enter the area unless you were a person trying to get in." The main one, he had very intiminating eyes, said.

"That's why I'll sing, I'll sing but will refuse to go to this school no matter what you tell me." He looked at me expectedly. "Shall I start since this song is dedicated to that friend and I want to perform it to him before he does his best."

He nodded his head and I closed my eyes. With a deep breath, I started:

_"Oh, I want you to fly, fly so high._

_Like a bird, you were just a baby_

_When I first met you._

_I now want you to fly, higher than me, so fly high!_

_Fly high and higher_

_Until you reach the stars!_

_So I want you to fly, fly so high._

_(pause for a measure)_

_I taught you how to fly,_

_But you gotta fly higher._

_The stage you and me was at is now a practice stage_

_And I promise it won't get any easier!_

_So fly high!_

_Fly higher and higher each day_

_And fly high than me and my stage!_

_So fly high and higher and higher and higher!_

_Higher than I have ever seen!_

_Even if the moon and stars leave your side_

_At least know I'm by your side_

_And ain't leavin!_

_And even if the sun and Earth hurts you_

_I ain't gonna hurt you when you come back!_

_So fly high!_

_I've taught you the basics._

_I've taught you all I could without fail._

_But now welcome to the real world_

_It ain't gonna be nice and easy._

_It ain't gonna go all smoothly,_

_but fly so dang high that no one can touch you!_

_Fly so high that you reach the stars!_

_And if they abandon you_

_I won't!_

_Fly higher and higher and higher._

_fly higher and higher and higher._

_I will never abandon you_

_And will tell you to fly so high_

_That you are higher than me and my stage._

_Even though it hurts inside me for you to leave,_

_I'm telling you to fly higher than ever."_

I finished the song and stood there for a second looking at where one of the cameras were at. "Ryuu," I started. "I bet you are watching and I hope this, me coming to Kirin and even signing up as an auditioner even though I loathe this school, will give you courage and make you fly high. This song is from me to you. Fighting!" I made a fist and stuck it up into the air and then back down.

I bowed my head at the judges and turned away. A few steps was all it took for one of the judges, and surprisingly it was the head judge, to speak up. "You know, if you had came here to take the audition you would've made it."

"I have no interest, what-so-ever, to join Kirin Art School and I will always, and I promise always, hate this school. Do you _really_ produce top singers or do you only bring them down?" Before he could answer, I left and walked right out of there dispite all the staring and Ryuu trying to chase me down.

I had came here to cheer and I did more than that. I sang and showed off my talent to them. Right now I was in hell. A nightmare come true. A promise broken to pieces and it was all for the sake of... Myself.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Street Performing

"Yoki, you okay?" A hand rested on my shoulder. "Should we cancel tonight's performance?"

"No, we can't cancel tonight. This is the special night where Ryuu performs with us for the last time. He made it into Kirin after all." I sighed and felt like slamming my head over and over against a table. Sadly, there was no real table and it would just mess me up on tonight's performance.

"Alright, if you're so sure." Tanaki, a beginner at singing and my pupil, removed her hand but still had a worried expression. "You ready to start? It's 5 now."

"Be there in a second. Just gotta get ready." I smiled up at her. She left and I grab a jacket to put on. It was gray, my favorite color, and I only wore it to special performances like our Christmas Special or our Summer Begins Tonight Performance. I slung it on and pulled my arms through without missing a beat and left the clubhouse.

The park, right in front of the clubhouse, was filled with street performers who sang and danced. Ryuu sat on the ledge of our area. Our area was the ledge for one of the many fountains in the park. The park was a popular place for street performing and everyone got their areas by being better than others. Our area was in the entrance area where all the street performers wanted. The most popular ones were always at the entrance to bring in the listeners.

I walked smoothly and stepped on to the stage. I looked at Tanaki who was setting up the new speakers. "Testing, testing. We got new equipment today so it might fail sometimes. Please bear with us. Ryuu, Tanaki, you ready to start?"

They nodded their heads hell yeah and grinned like maniacs. I was no exception. They stepped on stage and we started our performance. "Hello people and supporters!" The perfect start. "Before we start Copier's performance, us, we would like to start out by giving out some news. Ryuu, our awesome and crazy dude, had an audition at Kirin. Kirin is that popular performance school and yada yada. Well, not surprisingly, Ryuu had passed the auditions but sadly that means he won't be performing with us after tonight. Good news is that we will hold an audition for a new dude member. Girls can come too but it's mostly to replace Ryuu. Auditions will start next week Sunday at five o'clock. Now, we don't care who comes as long as you can make it to performances and have something to perform at each performance. Now without further delay, people of Korea, please welcome the Copier Tanaki who will perform **The Girl Who Doesn't Know How To Love ** by** Megurine Luka**, a vocaloid!"

Tanaki took the microphone while Ryuu and me jumped off stage. I went over to the new speakers to do the maintance if anything went wrong but mainly because I didn't want to hang out with Ryuu right now. Tanaki took and breath and the music started to play.

"_Without even knowing how to love I tried to get close to you  
>Because I just had a definite feeling that something is waiting for me<em>

_Giving up is so easy I can end everything with a few excuses  
>And I'd end up forgiving my "weakness" my cowardly self<em>

_The paradise I see beyond the glass wall is colored in shades too brilliant  
>I reached out my hands, even if it turns out to be a fabrication as it's too lonely all by myself<em>

_Without even knowing how to love I can only raise the volume of my crying voice  
>But you can't hear it you won't bother to listen to it you probably have no interest in me<br>Without even knowing how to love I started to yearn for you  
>It's so gloomy inside my heart but I'm certain you will shine your light for me<em>

_In the badly worn out photos I can see your smile, which no one can imitate  
>Though I know the future may not have much in store for me I still held on to my longing<em>

_The other "me" inside of myself is still crying her eyes out right now  
>"Please help me..." "Save me from here..." but our hearts only grow farther<em>

_Without even knowing how to love I held on tightly to your hand  
>You're the only one who has managed to touch the "me" no one was able to find<br>Without even knowing how to love I tried to match my steps with you  
>I don't care even if I'm hurt I just want to be by your side..."<em>

She finished the song and for a second all was still. Tanaki was still a beginner but she hit all the notes this time so the crowd should've been going wild with excitement. Instead it was silence? Why?

Then I remembered the new equipment. It must've made her too loud or too soft. I came up on stage and motioned the people to clap. They went wild after that motion. "Sorry everyone, new equipment which means it will mess up during our performance tonight." I bowed my head apologetically.

Instead of being mad they started to cheer and encouraging us on. I heard one shout that stood out from the other shouts, "Perform a vocaloid song!"

"Alright," I moved the mike on the condenser headgear. "Who wants to hear a Vocaloid song?"

Cheers were my response and I prepared myself for a fun night since I usually tried to do the Vocaloid songs on special occasions since they were the hardest to copy. You see, we are street performers who performs someone else's song. Every once in a blue moon I would create a song if I could stay up long enough.

"_"Actually, there is a girl I like."  
>You told me casually, after we finally became closer friends.<br>"So am I just a friend?" is the question written on my face,  
>but I try my hardest not to be discerned by you.<em>

_"Actually, I really like you." I can't bring myself to say it out loud.  
>I don't want to do something insensible and then get hated by you.<br>There's a subtle distance between us, and the time seems to have stopped.  
>However, I cannot abruptly bring myself to hate you.<em>

_Judging from your expression as you walk next to me,  
>I guess you must be thinking about that girl and smiling from it.<br>No longer able to keep looking at your happy face, I slowed down my pace.  
>I walked behind you to one side at an angle of about 30 degrees.<br>Unable to see each other's facial expression, we kept our respective positions._

_I don't know anymore. I don't know. I don't know what I should do.  
>There's no answer. Where will my insuppressible emotions escape?<br>My thoughts for you are unrequited, but I don't want to give up yet.  
>Was I the only one who thought the distance between our love had shrunk?<em>

_But since I don't want you to hate me, and I want to stay around you,  
>I locked away my feelings and said, "I'll be rooting for you!"<em>

_Should I stop liking you already?  
>Although we finally became closer, I could still feel some distance between us.<br>We were so close and yet so distant. Should I just stop seeing you?  
>But I am unable to sort out my own feelings.<em>

_Around midnight, you called me:  
>"I need some advice from you." said you, without knowing my true feelings.<br>"If only you understand a girl's heart better, maybe your love will work out?"  
>Of course, there's no way I can just bluntly tell you that.<em>

_I don't know. I don't know. I don't know what I should do.  
>There's no answer. Where will my insuppressible emotions escape?<br>My thoughts for you are unrequited, but I don't want to give up yet.  
>Was I the only one who thought the distance between our love had shrunk?<em>

_I don't know. I don't know. I don't know if I should still like you.  
>We have met each other, but will my feelings be returned in the near future?<br>My thoughts for you are unrequited, but that's fine, for I want us to stay friends at least.  
>But it's all like a dream. I wish one day you'd become aware of my feelings.<em>

_But since I don't want you to hate me, and I want to stay around you,  
>I locked away my feelings and said, "I'm sure everything will turn out fine!"<em>"

I felt the excitement and the craziness of the fans of our singing. All of our songs, if we couldn't find the karoke version, was mostly done in either solo acapella or acapella. This was how we performed for our customers, our fans.

The sound still messed up but I figured out how to try and make it sound like it wasn't by singing either louder or softer by listening what was happening with the sound. It was hard since it was a vocaloid song and trying to make it sound even.

"Kyahh! Vocaloid songs! Special performance!" The crowd went wild. That's how popular we are and how great we can copy others way of singing. As we performed more and more songs and kept having fun, I soon noticed a fimiliar face but couldn't quite match it with someone I know.

"Hey, please hold your next song you're going to perform." Shoots, the police! We stepped off the stage and strolled over to the policeman. "Can we see your ID. You look to young and we do have that performing age law in act."

"Of course you do." I say sarcatically. "Yet that doesn't stop us. We perform for the fans, ya know. If we obeyed that new stupid law of yours, then our poor fans will never see us again."

"I am going to have to arrest you due to a new law taking effect that day that requires underage entertainers to study 20 hours a week and work no later than 10 PM. You have violated this new law and will be put in prison and your parents will be notified." He started to pull out two handcuffs. Not looking good so far.

"You think you're able to contact my parents? What a joke!" I put my hands behind my back and motioned to the others to leave. "Anyhow, I'm the only one underaged here so you guys can go get your ID."

As they slinked away from the area, I tried to keep the police occupied by being annoying, "I won't go to jail and you are definitely not going to call my parents!"

My distraction didn't work at all because the police noticed the two trying to pack up and sneak off and shouted, "Hey, you! Stop right there!"

Before he could go catch them, I step in front of him with a grin on my face. "Oh look at the time!" I acted as if I had a watch and was checking it. "Time to move on with life and gotta go!"

I quickly picked up what the two left behind and ran like a crazy person. The polic officer followed me, realizing it was to late to go after the other two, shouting, "Stop where you're at!"

I jumped over a banana peel left by a careless kid and shouted behind my back, "Watch out for the banana peel!"

"You're just saying that to trick me, yo-" He couldn't finish his sentence because it was replaced with a crash and a groan.

"Don't say I didn't warn you." I kept running without looking back. I figured that police officers weren't ever working alone. Most likely that one was following secretly.

"Yoki! Over here!" I noticed two figures waving me down and a adult with them. I slowed down to a walk and grinned while flying my hand over my head. I grinned at Ryuu and Tanaki and made the mistake at looking at the adult.

"What is _he_ doing here?" I sneered at the man from the audition. From Kirin.

"Hmm, me?" He pointed at himself and smiled. "Hello, Miss Yuuya. I'm Tran, Koriko. Call me Koriko."

"Eh, he knows you, Yoki? I mean, he _knows_ you?" Tanaki stared at me with amazement. "Someone from Kirin?"

"Yoki, remember the promise?" Ryuu butted in.

"Of course I do, that's why I'm not killing him or you. I be nice tonight then starting tomorrow morning you are dead to me." I pouted. I didn't want to promise that but I knew that I had to. Otherwise there was major trouble.

"Okay, before we go out and party all night, introduce yourself correctly to Koriko." Ryuu instructed as if a teacher.

"Isn't she Yuuya-"

"Forget that name." I interrupted. "Hi, name's Yoki."

"Okay," He acted as if he didn't care. "Now that is over with, let's go eat ramen!"

"That's not for you to decide! It's Ryuu's desision, not yours!" I felt like smacking him but Tanaki held me back.

"Calm down, Yoki, I want ramen and we're in front of a ramen shop." Ryuu pointed to the small sign on the store and I wondered if that was why we were going to meet up here.

So we all agreed on the little peace treaty for tonight and entered the ramen shop to hang out at and have fun. We talked and exaggerated about how we escaped the police officer and all kinds of stuff. Midnight passed and we didn't even have a conversation about Kirin at all.

"You should've seen how fast you ran when the cop saw us sneaking off! Like a rabbit!" Tanaki and Ryuu laughed their crazy heads off.

"Well you wouldn't have had a chance to try and escape if I wasn't there to distract! Besides, you guys left more stuff and I was still able to carry it all." I boast without feeling embarrassed at all.

"Sorry to interrupt," Koriko stopped our conversation, which I didn't mind currently because I got to know him a bit today. "But I have a very important announcement to make.

First, I congraduate you, Ryuu, for making it into Kirin," Ryuu's faced beamed with pride. "And I do see you as a very extreme help for Kirin. You see, Kirin Art School is falling. It is still at the top but with the current principal of Kirin trying to bring it down, Kirin will soon be a disaster.

That's where I come in. I am going to be one of the teachers at Kirin starting tomorrow and I am going to bring Kirin out of the dumps and into fame again. Ryuu, you're going to be the student who will help me majorly with my plans! As long as you follow the laws and perform as well as you do, you can help bring out of the hell it's in." Koriko seemed serious and Ryuu looked at him in astonishment.

"Good for you, Ryuu, your dream come true." I pouted and stuffed some ramen noodles into my mouth.

"You, Yoki," Koriko pointed at me. "Is going to become one of the few elected kids who are entering as a special student at Kirin, just like what had happened before in Kirin."

I spitted out what I just stuffed in and stood up with an angry mood. "What did you just say!"

"C-C-Calm down, Yoki!" Ryuu suttered as he stood up to try and to hold me back. "He's gotta be joking since he knows you're a anti-Kirin fan."

"I know you hate Kirin, Yoki. I promise that I won't force you to do it, but I had to pick four kids and I liked your talent." Koriko waved his hands to disreguard me. "But if you don't accept and go, the other three cannot go to Kirin. I know you don't care but there are other people's dreams in your hands now. Not just-"

"I hope to never see you again." I whispered as I grabbed my backpack filled with all of my performance items and left the store. "Just choose a different special student and everything will be fine."

"No it won't." I barely heard his response.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Dreams Crushed Or Give Up Hatred?

I stared at the big blue circle on the cieling as I always did when thinking really hard on what to do next. It got me to focus on something and I always ended up making the right decision no matter what mess I was in.

It helped me decide if I should start street performing, helped me choose if I should allow others to perform with me, helped me decide if I should break the new law or not, and now this major question: should I crush others dreams or give up my hatred of Kirin?

I knew that I could crush others dreams and they wouldn't know that I crushed their dreams, but I also knew that I could put up with Kirin just for them to go. The question bothered me so much, it drove me crazy.

"Yoki," I suddenly hear Tanaki's voice from the stairway. "You awake?"

"Come on in." I called out to her. I could her the thumps of her feet as she came down and noticed her head pop out of the corner of the doorway.

"You okay?" She asked with worriedness all over her face. "I hope that I came when you've calmed down from..." She couldn't finish what she was going to say but I knew what she meant.

"Yeah, just thinking what to do now." I stared back up at the dot. "I don't want to crush others dreams but... Why Kirin of all places?"

"Yoki," Tanaki had a scared yet trying to be calming voice. "I know you're upset about all of this and it's happening all too fast but I can't wait any longer. I tried to hold out until you were okay about the whole Ryuu incident."

"What's up?" I sat up in my bed, finally removing my eyes from the dot.

"You're a great teacher, Yoki, and I enjoy spending time with you but... I don't think you'll be the same when Ryuu leaves, and-"

"Ryuu is just a stranger now. Sooner or later, my memories of him will seem like dreams and I will still street perform." I stated firmly. "Now, if you're wanting to leave the group because of that and go to Hickori's group, go right ahead. No one's stopping you."

She stared at me shocked that I even knew about the offer they had given her. Hickori and his group was the second best street performers here and was always trying to either compete with us or trying to sabatoge us. No surprise that they offered her a place in their group.

"Look, Tanaki, I'm not going to be mad about you going to their group. I'm not upset that Ryuu is also leaving to the school I hate so much. I'm upset that if I don't make the right decision, then I might ruin something." I closed my eyes and rubbed my forehead with my fingers.

"Yoki, I didn't truely want to leave the group because us three together, you, Ryuu, and me, are great. You helped me go for my dreams and helped me start performing even though I had stage fright." I thought about the first time I met Tanaki, a fan for Ryuu and I at the time and we brought her up on stage since it was a special occasion. Her birthday and the day she threw up on Ryuu. "I learned so much from you and Ryuu, but I predict you won't recover from Ryuu leaving and you might stop singing. I had a feeling you might just give up altogether and their invite was convinent."

"Tanaki," I sighed. "I'm proud of Ryuu and you."

She was startled and looked at me with disbelief. "Wha?"

"I'm proud of you two. I have long gone stopped trying to chase after that dream. That dream to be center stage with fans screaming to hear more of my music. That dream of mines was lost way before I started doing street performance. I am doing all of those performances for the ones listening to them. I want to make them have a dream. I wanted them to chase after the dream that I've lost so long ago."

When I met you and Ryuu, I most likely allowed you guys to be with me to try and get that dream back. I figured that if I didn't, at least not all of my talent would go to waste. It would be passed on to you two and you guys would carry that dream to the stage. Tanaki, I'm not going to perform on huge stages or go to a singing school, but I hope that you and Ryuu will. Stay in school, unlike me, and always keep that dream."

Tanaki looked at me with seriousness and smiled. I couldn't help but smile back. I knew she meant good and I knew the answer to my question though I didn't want to admit it. Tanaki said before she left, "Hope I see you on TV soon."

I looked around at all the houses that surrounded me. I was surprised that Koriko found my address and knew exactly where I lived, but then again, Ryuu could've told him. I glanced down at the letter again to make sure of the address and it read:

_Dear Yoki,_

_ I know you had said no at the resturant but I cannot just choose who was going to be the special student. That was up to the principal. I figured you might've thought about it and might have changed your mind. If so, or if not, please come visit me at my house. The address is 27** Ka*** St. near the Kanta Mall. If there is any trouble finding it, please feel free to call 4*********. I wait your visit or call and you can come anytime._

_Koriko._

I glanced around again to find the house. I knew I should've just called instead of looking around like a lost idiot, but I didn't really want him to know I was actually coming. So here I was, searching for a house, and lost then anything. A great way to start off a day I'm actually awake!

"Where is it? I hate looking!" I muttered to myself.

"Get your hands off of me!" I perked up, hearing those words, and all that comes to mind is "Ohh, free entertainment! Me likey!"

So I crouch down and peek down the alleyway and I see five guys against one. Whoooo! This really caught my attention.

"What are you going to do about it?" One out of the five guys spit at the loner's face. Loner, my nickname for him right now, raised his hand to wipe it off like it was nothing. He must've not come with any emotions from how he was acting.

"You know, I hate idiots like you who thinks I take your stupid little petti girlfriends from you." Loner defended himself. "I don't care about your stupid girlfriends."

"You're asking for a death wish pal!" Leader shouted while all of his lackies agreed with head nods.

I couldn't watch anymore. It was awesome to watch but it's even better to get involved, or at least in my head it was. "Hey, wha'cha up to, boys?" I stepped out of hiding and noticed the five other girls who were shaking with fright. "Bullying people isn't a health lifestyle, ya'know."

"Who asked you, Bitch!" Lackie One shouted at me.

"Bitch? I don't see a 'Bitch' anywhere." I exaggerated me being stupid by looking around. "Oh, when you say 'Bitch' you mean you, huh? I get it now! You really are a 'Bitch'!"

I could see the anger rising high above his head about ready to tear me down, but Leader stepped into the conversation, "Leave, girlie, unless you have a death wish too."

"Oh, a death wish? I don't have one." I shrugged. "But it seems like you have a death wish. I mean, come on! Five guys against one? He must be stronger than you then!"

"Don't you dare try to make it sound like I'm a great fighter!" Loner shouted at me.

I couldn't help but laugh. "If you ain't strong then why are you fighting with these guys? That's just stupid!"

"I figured others would WITNESS it and call the POLICE!" Wow, that kind of failed.

"Oh well, I got into this thinking you were a strong fighter and you end up a chicken. Where's the fun in that? I should've walked on by!" I noticed a shadow producing behind me. Before the sixth lackie could attack me, I swirl around to kick him in the head.

He falls down, most likely with a head injury, and the others attack me at the same time. This pulls out my inner gangster and there goes one... Two... Three... Four guys sprawled around in the alley, unconscious.

The other two, Leader and Lackie One, says a nasty word under their breath and are helping their fallen comrades to the nearest hospital. The five ladies quickly surrounded me, calling me their hero and prince.

"Uh, sorry girls to disappoint, but I'm a girl." I tried to dismiss their comments about how I looked like a prince. They had an instant look of shock and soon had a disinterest in me. As they left, I make my way to the guy. "You're in debt to me so you gotta do something for me."

He obviously didn't like my evil grin I had on because he started to go wide eye. "What do you want?"

"Just directions."

"Here it is, Mr. Koriko's house though I still don't know what buisness you've got with him." Daiku, the loner from before, opened the gate.

Somehow, I ended up meeting with someone who lived with him, the loner, and it was just a few blocks down. It was actually behind two apartment buildings and it looked really expensive. Two or three stories high and maybe about two small houses wide.

"Are you coming in or not?" Daiku asked inpatiently.

"Uh..." I wanted to say on second thought but I had came here for a reason and I wanted to get it over with. "Yeah, I am."

I stepped through the gate and Daiku lead the way to the door. He pulled out a key and entered in causally while calling, "Koriko, you got a guest!"

"A guest? Uh... Oh!" I could hear Koriko's voice and then a sudden slam and crashes. "Dang it!"

"Should I tell her to-"

"Don't you dare tell her to leave! I'm coming right no-" Continuous thumps. "I'm alright!"

Suddenly, Koriko pushed Daiku out of the way and stared in amazement at me. I couldn't help but notice his bruises and stiffled a laugh. "Bad time to come?"

"Of course not, I just didn't expect you to actually come..." His amazement soon became a excited expression. "Did you change your mind? No?"

"I still hate Kirin but I can't just let other people's dreams die because of my selfish desire. I don't promise I'll be a good child and not ditch all the classes." I pouted with my decision but knew it was the correct decision.

He smiled and agreed with my decision. "Oh, and this is Soumi, Daiku. He's one of the special students. We just gotta find one more of the special elected kids!"

"Wait, what do you mean you've gotta find?" I inquire. "You lost me."

"Not only do you have to accept being a special student at Kirin, but I have to find all four of them. You weren't the easiest to find until I remembered your dedication song and who it was for. That made it a whole lot easier!" Koriko said.

"So I just gotta hope you never find the last person." I couldn't help but tease him a bit to make his trust in me lower. "Got'cha!"

"Uh... Yoki... I already made plans for Daiku and someone else to go fetch him. You know what, why don't you go?" Koriko acted calmly.

"Okay, so let's just act like I never came here and said I was going to Kirin for those other people." I turn away and advance to the gate.

"Oh no you are not!" This time it wasn't Koriko. Daiku grabbed my jacket and held me back with a revengeful face on.

"Who do you think you're touching?" I don't turn around but there is a meancing tone in my words. "Do you think you can really touch me or my jacket?"

"So what! You were going to ruin our dreams!" Daiku didn't get the hint. Not my fault though.

"NO ONE ALLOWED YOU TO TOUCH ME OR MY AWESOME JACKET!" I swirl around with my left leg in the air and squarely hit him in his side. He fell down to the ground with a grunt and I continued to shout at his face. "I CAME WITH INTENTIONS OF NOT RUINING YOUR DREAMS AND THEN YOU TELL ME THAT I WASN'T GOING TO BE THE REASON YOUR DREAMS ENDED? WHY DID I THINK IT WAS ALL ON MY SHOULDERS? THEN YOU TELL ME TO GO HELP FIND SOMEONE! MY QUESTION IS WHY SHOULD I?"

Daiku stared with amazement in his eyes while Koriko looked hurt a bit. Daiku stood up. "I'm sorry about that but please..."

"Give me the freakin address and where it's at and I'll think about it." I stuck out my hand impatiently.

Koriko and Daiku both lit up excitedly and handed me a folded piece of paper. I left without another word and once out of their sight for sure, I left for the bus station.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Country Bumpkin

I felt someone move my white hat up a bit and woke up without opening my eyes. "Is she asleep?" A woman's voice asked.

"Well we can't just leave her on the bus either way, I just hope she doesn't slap me when she wakes up." A guy with a country accent said. I felt my body being lifted up out of the seat and two strong arms held on to me. "She's heavy! What does she eat?"

"Yah! That's not nice!" I felt tired again and soon fell back into slumber... Wait a minute! I can't go to sleep when being practically kidnap!

I woke up and stared up at the person who noticed and stared back down at me. "What are you doing?"

"She's awake, Mom." The guy setted me down on my feet. "You were going to sleep forever, or so it seemed."

Oh, they were just trying to help me. "Ah, it's okay! Um... Where are we?" I looked around to realize I was in the country. No wonder he had that country accent.

"Ah, you're at a huge country side in South Korea. You don't find us in maps but there's still buses in Seoul that takes you to here." The guy smiled at me. "Where are you from?"

"Hmm? Oh, um... Incheon, South Korea, soon to be... Kirin Art School student..." Dang, I hurt my heart a bit there saying that.

"Kirin Art School? You mean _the_ Kirin Art School that has all those talented singers and dancers?" He blurted out.

"Y-Yeah..." Ouch, pride got stabbed again. "Um... So where's the nearest hotel or motel?"

"I think it's about twenty miles away from here or more. I'm not sure." I gaped at him and felt a sudden unhappiness. It was already dark outside. "But you shouldn't walk all the way there for something like a place to sleep."

"Yeah," The mother grabbed both of my hands and held it in her rough hands. "You can stay at our place!"

"Mom!" The guy snapped at his mother. "She's still a stranger!"

"You're the one who suggested it and I am the official decider of our household." The mom stuck out her chest. "Besides, Anku, this is a great chance to ask her about that school of your dreams."

"Ah, I'm not a student yet so I don't know anything about it!" I tried to avoid that topic. "I won't be able to tell you anything about that place... Besides, I was only riding the bus so I can meet someone who's going to be recruited into Kirin like me."

"What's the person's name?" The mom stared at me with excitement.

"Mom, it's not going to be me and I don't dream of going to Kirin and become a singer like Father before he died." Anku looked sad.

"Um..." I searched for the piece of paper that should've had the person's name. "I have it written down... Somewhere..."

"Yoki!" My head shot up when I heard my name and noticed Daiku running over after getting off the bus. "Wait up!"

"What's he doing here?" I muttered to myself quietly, but somehow not quiet enough since Anku looked at me mysteriously.

"Yoki," Daiku caught up and hunched over while breathing hard. "Y-You f-f-found him! And you didn't even see a picture of him, that's awesome!"

"What are you talking about, Daiku? I found who?" I looked at him weirdly.

"He's the one. He's the Special Kirin student! You found him without my help!" He looked up with a big fat grin on his face. "You _do_ care about our dreams, huh?"

I stared at Daiku, dumbfounded. Anku was the Kirin Special student along with me and Daiku. We were classmates. We were... "Well then, who wants to give this area a performance?" I suggested out of the blue.

"Eh? I'm sorry but I'm not following your guy's conversation." Anku finally entered the conversation. "Start from the beginning please."

So Daiku gave him the brief summary of what was going on and allowed me to tell the mom what was happening. "Miss, your son has been selected as a student to go to Kirin Art School. You can possibly call us the recruiters but we are also one of the few to be selected as a special student. That means that we didn't do the try-outs or auditions to get in but we were selected to go. Do you allow your son to go to Kirin with us tomorrow?"

Before the ma'am said anything, Anku pushes me out of the way while bear-hugging his mother. "Mom, I can't believe this! I'm going to Kirin!"

"Sheesh, it's nothing that special." I grumbled unhappily but with a small smile. "It's just Kirin who's in the major dumps and is soon going to be closed."

I am soon embraced though by Anku while he's screaming in my ear, "Thank you so much for this awesome opportunity! You're awesome and cute!"

"Ugh, can't breath here." That was all I could reply since I really couldn't breath. He was strong for someone from the country. "Calm down please."

"Sorry," He lets go but he still has this silly yet very admiring grin on his face and looks like he's about to throw me in the air and catch me when I came down. "But this is just so awesome. I've always dreamed about going to Kirin like my dad but never thought I would get a chance to go there! This is so awesome!"

"Now, now," His mother moved forward. "Call me Mother if you please, and I certainly cannot allow either of you two to leave tonight. Please come sleep comfortly at our humble house."

"Tell me a bit about your guy's dreams since we are classmates." Anku asked with full excitement in his golden eyes.

I shifted uncomfortable in the futon they gave me. I didn't care for that type of question nor did I want to answer it. Daiku, somehow full of energy, answers, "I dream of becoming a famous guitar player and a teacher. You, Yoki?"

"Um... I guess I don't technically have a dream. I just try and help others reach their dreams." I said lamely.

"You've gotta have some sort of singing, dancing, or acting dream to want to go into Kirin." Anku had to point out with Daiku agreeing.

"Nah, to me it's all just a bunch of blah. In my personal opinion, Kirin can go to the dumps and die. I don't care for Kirin, I'm just getting forced into there." I told them the truth about my thoughts and opinion.

"Why are you forced?" They asked at the same time.

"Like I said eariler, I just want to help others reach their dream. If I don't go to Kirin then you don't go to Kirin. I'm helping you reach your dreams, that's all and the reason why I agree attending a school I despise so much." I scowled at myself.

"Eh, so that's why Koriko was surprised to see you at his house!" Daiku made the connection. "He didn't think you would show up from his reaction."

"I'm surprised I'm even here. Too much is happening all at once and I don't like where it leads to. I just wish that I wasn't forced to go to Kirin." I shrugged my head. "Kirin will most likely fall if I'm in it."

"You sing that horribly?" Anku asked and Daiku somehow agreed.

"I sing awesomely." I boasted. "I just refuse to say I'm a singer for Kirin."

"How can we trust you?" Anku frowned but soon grinned evilly. "Sing right now and here."

"Huh?" I asked with no changing expressions. "Do you have a guitar or an instrument?"

"No..." Anku went sad but Daiku butted in saying, "I got my guitar."

So Daiku opens his guitar case and hands me the guitar. It's a black and white one and it's an acoustic one. I lay it comfortably on my lap, already knowing where I usually had it comfortably. I pick a few of the strings and nod my head with satisfaction. I play a few chords and start singing while swaying.

_"Way back on the radio dial  
>The fire got lit inside a bright eyed child<br>Every note just wrapped around his soul  
>From steel guitars to Memphis all the way to rock and roll<em>

_Oh I can hear 'em playin  
>I can hear the ringing of a beat up old guitar<br>Oh I can hear 'em singing  
>Keep on dreaming even if it breaks your heart<em>

_Downtown is where I used to wander  
>Old enough to get there but too young to get inside<br>So I would stand out on the sidewalk  
>Listen to the music playin every Friday night<em>

_Oh I can hear 'em playin  
>I can hear the ringing of a beat up old guitar<br>Oh I can hear 'em singing  
>Keep on dreaming even if it breaks your heart<em>

_Some dreams stay with you forever  
>Drag you around and bring you back to where you were<br>Some dreams keep on getting better  
>Gotta keep believing if you wanna know for sure<em>

_Oh I can hear 'em playin  
>I can hear the ringing of a beat up old guitar<br>Oh I can hear 'em singing  
>Keep on dreaming even if it breaks your heart<em>

_Oh I can hear 'em playin  
>I can hear the ringing of a beat up old guitar<br>Oh I can hear 'em singing  
>Keep on dreaming even if it breaks your heart<em>

_Keep on dreaming even if it breaks your heart_

_Keep on dreaming_

_Don't let it break your heart."_

I stopped to look at their reaction and they were both looking at me with disbelief. "What? Was it horrible?"

"That's... There's no real word or words to describe how awesome that was. As if I was at a concert for the real live person." Anku said

"Uh, that's because I can copy the same exact notes and sound after listening to the song twice. I can also do vocaloid though it's a bit hard on the throat." I replied.

"Isn't Vocaloid that Japanese computer-made singers?" Daiku asked while Anku tried to ask who was Vocaloid.

"Yeah, that's why it's hard to copy them but I'm still able to." I grinned. "Anyways, let's get some rest. I'm tired out."

I lay down and quickly fell fast asleep without remembering where I was.


End file.
